Banjo



(No Model I E. BOULANGER.

' BANJO.

No. 415,019. Patented Nov. 1-2, 1889.

'FJgI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMILE BOULANGER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BANJO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,019, dated November12, 1889.

, Application filed December 10, 1888. Serial No. 293 086. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMILE BOULANGER, of the city of St. Louis, in theState of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inBanjos, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, and in which Figure I is aperspective view of a banjohaving my improvement. Fig. II is a perspective view of thehead-retaining band. Fig. III is a detail view showing the inner end ofthe stock in elevation and part of the band and body in section. Fig. IVis an enlarged transverse section of one side of the body, band, andring.

My invention relates to certain improvements in banjos; and my inventionconsists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointedout in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the body, and 2 the stock, ofthe banjo.

3 represents the head, and 4 a band for securing the head to the body.

The method I have devised for securing the head to the body consists ofthe band 4, which has a flaring upper edge 6, forming a groove toreceivea ring 7, around which the edge of the head is wrapped, or towhich it is otherwise secured. The lower edge of the band is secured tothe body by means of horizontal fastenings 8, fitting in slots 9 of thebody. My fastening consists of a headed sleeve 10, which is threaded toreceive a screw 11. In

tightening the head upon the body it will be seen that by simplyloosening on the screws 11 and forcing downward on the band 4 thistightening will be effected, (the fastenings 8 moving in the slots 9,)and then by tightening the screws again the head will be held securelyand tightly upon the body. The band is held tightly upon the body by thestock 2. For this purpose the bandis divided and has two slots 12, asshown clearly in Fig. II, and by lapping the adjacent ends of the bandthese slots coincide. The wedge-shaped or tapering inner end 13 of thestock is then inserted through the slots, and being forced inwardtightensthe band on the body, this being done, of course, before thestrings 14 are applied.

In the above-described manner the head is securely held to the body in avery cheap and eifective manner.

I claim as my invention 1. In a banjo, the combination of the head,slotted body, a band having a grooved upper end, a ring fitting in theupper end of the band and to which the head is secured, andconnecting-bolts fitting in the slots of the body, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In a banjo, the combination of the slotted body, a head, a ring towhich the head is secured, a band formed to receive the ring, and boltsconsisting of threaded sleeves, and screws fitting in the slots in thebody, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a banjo, the combination of the body, head, a band for securingthe head to the body, and the stock, said band being divided and havingslots 12 to receive the tapering shank of the stock, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

EMILE BOULANGER.

In presence of GEO. I-I. KNIGHT, EDw. S. KNIGHT.

